Reversible back for upholstered furniture



' l. HOFFMAN RvERsIBLE B Acx FOR uPHoLsvTERED FURNITURE Filed July 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1.. HQFFMAN r REVERSIBLE BACK FOR UPHQLSTERED FURNITURE Filed July 24, 1926 Inventor g1g/fm1# $64/ l ITI/2371 IBI/'5? tt l. HOFFMAN REVERSIBLE BACK FOR UPHOLSTERED .FURNITURE Filed July 24A 1926 5 Shoots-Sheet 3 Inventor I rz/rog foffmaw may be exposed between the pieces 21 and 22 of the upholstering, as desired.

By lifting the back sufficiently to disengage the dowel pins 37 and the fastening devices 40 and 41, it will be seen that the back` maybe turned endwise to bring. either the upholstering 21 or 22 towards the front for changing the appearance of the furniture.

A bearing 50 is secured to the panel 8 and the rib 9 of the body 2. A shaft 51 is secured to a. metal brace rib 52 which in turn is secured to thebottom strip 31 of the back. Said shaft 51 is rotatably and slidably mounted in the bearing 50.

The bearingr 50 is in the form of a cylinder secured by a plate 54 to the rib 9 and by a strap 55 secured to the inner surface of the panel 8. At the top of the cylinder is a removable cap 57 in whichthe shaft 51 is guided. Said cap forms a stop for limiting the upward movement of the shaft. By re- `moving the cap 57 the shaft may be removed from theeylinder 50 when desired to remove the baclr fronithebody for clea-ning purposes. l

A yoke 59 is slidably mounted 'in the cylinder 5() for supporting the shaft 51,

which hasa collar 60 adapted to rest upon `the yoke. Upon said 'yoke are arms 63 which project outwardly through vertical Springs 65 are attached to said arms 63 and to the top plate 54 and tend to lift the shaft and also the back 20. `The shaft 51 at its lower end is providedwith a head 68 which is engaged bya pawl 69 pivoted upon a shaft 7() secured in the cylinder 50. A spring 71 automatically engages the pawl with the shaft 51 when the latter is forced downwardly against the springs 65. A lever 73 on said pawl forms a means for releasing the pawl by pressing the foot against said i `lever so that the springs may lift the back into the raised position, shown in Figs.` 1, 2

and 6, in which position the back is free from the fastening devices 40 and 41 and the dowel pins 37, thus permitting the back to be readily turned upon the shaft 51 as a pivot andwhen turned end for end the back may be pressed down upon the body and the paw] 69 will automatically engage the head of the shaft 51 and lock the back secur'elv in placeA upon the body. The head 68 .ofthe sha-ft 51 will pass freely through the center openingof the yoke/59, so that the shaft'51 f may be withdrawn from the cylinder 50 by first removing the cap 57.

. Fig. 10 illustrates a bearing 75 having a single spring 76 surrounding the shaft 77 for suporting the back. A washer 78 is secure upon the shaft 77 which is lifted by the spring 76,`said spring is supported upon a'washerv 79 secured in the cylinder. The pawl 80 is similar to the pawl above described. The form of bearing and lift-` ing device shown in Fig. 10, is ada ted for furniture having backs which are ight. in weight, whereas` the double spring lifting devices, shown in Fig; Q, `may be used to a'dvantage for heavy furniture.

`1. A chair or sofa comprising a body forming a seat, posts rigidly secured to the body at the rear corners of the seat, a back positioned between said posts,..a`shaft upon said bod positioned parallel with said posts upon wiich shaft said back is mounted, means permitting said back to be` rotatably mounted relatively to said posts, means whereby said back is adapted tobe raised or lowered relatively to thebody, and fastening devices upon said posts and said back adapted to interlock when said back is 'de' pressed.

2. A chair or Vsofa comprising a body forming a seat, Josts rigidly secured t0 the body at the rear corners of the seat, a-baclt f positioned between said posts, a shaft upon when in the raised `position and means for locking the back in the depressed position.-

3. A chair or sofa comprising a Ybody forming a` seat, posts secured to the rear corners of the body,\said posts projecting abovesaid seat, aback positioned between said posts, a shaft secured to the lower central portion `of the back, a bearing secured in the body in which the shaft is rotatabl and slidably mountedwhereby said bac( may-be` rotated relatively to said posts, a spring tending to raise the back, means for holding the back `depressed against the ac tion of the spring, and Vfastening devices upon said vposts and upon said back adapted to interlock when the backisdepressed against the action of the spring.

@L A chair or sofacomprising a body `forming a seat, posts `rigidly secured to the gaging said shoulder for holding the shaftV r.against said spring.

' 5. A chair or sofa comprising a body forming a seat, posts rigidly secured to .the body projecting above the seat, a` back adapted to be detachably secured to said lll() posts, a shaft secured to the lower central portion 'of the. back, va cylinder securedl in the body portion inwliiohthe shafty is rotatably mounted, said cylinder having` longitudinalslots formedV therein, a yoke slidably Vmounted Within the cylinder vupon which the shaft is supported, arms upon saidyole prof jecting outwardly throught said slots of the cylinder, springs adapted -for supporting said arms, and means forv detaohablv holding the shaft against the action of, said springs;` 6; A chair ror sofa` comprising a bodyj` forming a seat,.posts rigldly'secured to the" body at the rear'corners 'of the seat,`said posts projecting above thel seat, a back adapted to koccupy-the space between' said posts, fasteningfdevicespfor detachably securing the back to saidV posts, ashaft seeuredf to the central lower portion of` the `i back, a bearing secured to saidY body in vvhich the shaft is slidably mounted, a spring tend ing to liftthe shaft fork disengaging the back from said fastening devices, ahead upon i said shaft, a pawladapted to' automatically v engage said head for holding the-shaft against the action of the spring, a lever l adapted for disengagingthe pawl fromsaid shaft, and aI stop detachably secured Vupon .thebearingfadaptedfor limiting the upward lmovement of thefshaft in lsaid bearing by thefaction of the spring permitting the shaft whereof Il aix my signa; H, j o f y iRvINoHoFFMAN, l 

